ICE To Be Abolished Under New Proposed Bill, DHS Responds

A new Congressional proposal seeks to abolish U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Responding to the plan, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek: “DHS is a law enforcement agency, and it will continue to carry out immigration enforcement for the safety of Americans who have been victimized by rapists, murderers, drug traffickers, and gang members.

“President Donald Trump campaigned on immigration enforcement, the American people voted for it, and Secretary Noem is delivering.”

Why It Matters

Democratic Congressman Shri Thanedar of Michigan introduced the Abolish ICE Act earlier this week as the country faced widespread national protests over controversial U.S. immigration policies under the Trump administration. 

His bill seeks to dismantle ICE, an agency criticized for its aggressive enforcement tactics and recent string of incidents involving civilians, including the fatal shooting of Renee Nicole Good in Minnesota. 

What To Know

On Thursday, Representative Thanedar officially introduced the “Abolish ICE Act,” designated as H.R. 7123, in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Thanedar’s legislation calls for the termination of federal funding to ICE, the rescission of its unobligated funds, and the formal dissolution of the agency within 90 days of enactment. 

The bill has been referred to the Judiciary Committee, the Homeland Security Committee, and the Ways and Means Committee for further examination.

ICE, created in 2003 under DHS as part of the post-9/11 government reorganization, took over many immigration-related duties from the former Immigration and Naturalization Service.

Thanedar’s initiative follows the killing of Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen, by an ICE agent in Minneapolis on January 7, 2026, which sparked national outrage and protests at the Minnesota State Capitol and beyond.

Another high-profile shooting in the leg of a Venezuelan man this week by an ICE agent has further stoked tensions.

Democratic Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey, who has called for ICE to leave the city, said on X on Wednesday: “No matter what led up to this incident, the situation we are seeing in our city is not sustainable.”

It reflects a significant shift in public opinion, with ICE becoming a flashpoint for broader discussions on immigration reform, federal policing powers, and human rights.

A new Economist/YouGov poll (with a margin of error of plus or minus 3.3 percentage points), which surveyed 1,602 adults from January 9 to January 12, 2026, indicated that 46 percent of Americans supported abolishing ICE, and 43 percent were opposed. 

Support for abolishing ICE has grown significantly, rising from 19 percent in late 2024 to 43 percent this month, according to Civiqs. A total of seven in ten Democrats now back the proposal.

Thanedar’s bill also references a series of incidents in 2025, including the deaths of 32 inmates in ICE custody—the highest toll in over two decades—and multiple fatal encounters with ICE agents. His office argues that ICE has prioritized enforcement over due process and that its duties could be reassigned to other federal agencies. 

The bill further claims that under the current administration, ICE’s power has expanded, contributing to fear and uncertainty in immigrant and non-immigrant communities alike.

The bill states that since “President Donald Trump and Secretary Kristi Noem have taken office, ICE has been weaponized to inflict terror and hysteria amongst American immigrant and non-immigrant communities. ICE has been deployed to major cities [to] aggressive enforcement policies that have brought fear to Americans. It is clear that ICE is not an organization bound by the rule of law, is past the point of reform, and must be abolished.”

What People Are Saying

DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Newsweek in an emailed statement: “Attacks and demonization of ICE are wrong. ICE officers are now facing a 1,300 percent increase in assaults.

“Illegal aliens that ICE is deporting broke our nation’s laws. DHS is a law enforcement agency, and it will continue to carry out immigration enforcement for the safety of Americans who have been victimized by rapists, murderers, drug traffickers, and gang members.

“President Trump campaigned on immigration enforcement, the American people voted for it, and Secretary Noem is delivering.

“For illegal aliens in the country, the safest and most efficient option is self-deportation. Through the CBP Home app, illegal aliens can self-deport and receive financial and travel assistance. President Trump and Secretary Noem have a clear message to illegal aliens: LEAVE NOW.”

Speaking to reporters outside the White House on Thursday, DHS Secretary Noem said: “In every situation, we are doing targeted enforcement.”

Thanedar said in his official statement: “Since ICE’s establishment in 2003, it has prioritized aggressive enforcement and violence rather than due process. Americans are being terrorized. 

“Last year, I introduced legislation to end qualified immunity for ICE agents, ensuring they are held accountable when they break the law. But the killing of Renee Nicole Good proved that ICE is out of control and beyond reform. We must fundamentally change the way we approach immigration: it’s time to abolish ICE.”

Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, whose district includes where Good was killed, said: “Republicans cut your healthcare to pay for a federal invasion of Minneapolis. ICE isn’t making us safer—it’s terrorizing our communities.”

Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz posted on X on Thursday: “I know you’re angry. I’m angry. What Donald Trump wants is violence in the streets. But Minnesota will remain an island of decency, of justice, of community, and of peace. Don’t give him what he wants.”

What Happens Next

The Abolish ICE Act now proceeds to committee review in the House of Representatives, where it faces a challenging path with the Republican-led House and Senate.

For the bill to become law, it would need to secure passage in both chambers and receive Trump’s signature, an extremely unlikely outcome given the administration’s strident defense of ICE.